Spinal cord cell types that drive bladder pain in interstitial cystitis (IC/BPS)
Elucidating Roles of Distinct Spinal Cord Cell types in Mediating Interstitial Cystitis (IC)/Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS)
Researchers will use precise lab tools to find which spinal cord cells cause bladder pain and troublesome urination in people with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173752 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will use lab models of bladder inflammation, mainly in animals, to recreate features of IC/BPS. They will turn specific spinal cord cells on or off using light-based and designer-drug techniques to see which cells trigger pain or abnormal urination. They will trace how those spinal signals reach different brain regions and will map the genes active in the involved spinal cells with gene-mapping methods. Altogether, these steps aim to identify the exact spinal cell types and circuits responsible for bladder pain and dysfunction.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Although this is preclinical lab research and does not recruit patients, people living with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and ongoing bladder pain or urinary problems are the population most likely to benefit from its findings.
Not a fit: People without bladder pain or whose urinary symptoms are caused by other clear conditions (such as active infection or bladder cancer) are unlikely to benefit from these specific findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new spinal-cord targets for treatments that reduce bladder pain and improve urinary symptoms in IC/BPS.
How similar studies have performed: Similar optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches have successfully identified pain circuits in animal models, but applying them specifically to spinal circuits in IC/BPS is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Samineni, Vijay K — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Samineni, Vijay K
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.